What does it truly mean for restorative justice to be community-centered and held?

In this powerful conversation, Molly Rowan Leach is joined by Lindsey Frischer (Southwest Community Justice Coalition), Cristina Cabeza (Colorado Coalition for Restorative Justice Practices), and Ames Stenson (Restorative Rainbow Alliance) & Englewood Municipal Court RJ Program) for a deep dive into coalition-building, relational accountability, and the living practice of restorative justice across Colorado.

This is not a theoretical discussion.

It is a grounded, hard-earned exploration of what it takes to build restorative infrastructure — inside systems, beyond systems, and sometimes in partnership with them.

Together, they unpack:

• What “community-held restorative justice” actually looks like in practice

• Building coalitions across municipalities, courts, and grassroots spaces

• Asset mapping and capacity-building as alternatives to over-reliance on punishment

• Moving “at the speed of trust”

• Why restorative justice must actively dismantle harm — not replicate it

• The creation and impact of Colorado’s updated RJ Practitioner Guidelines

• The groundbreaking work of the Restorative Rainbow Alliance and LGBTQ+ inclusion in restorative practice

As Cristina reminds us, community is not idyllic or abstract:

“Community holds all of it.”

From statewide policy work to small-town circle practice, this episode reveals how justice becomes sustainable when it is relational, intentional, and collectively stewarded.

You’ll hear how community agreements, harm processes, and values-based organizing create real alternatives to punitive systems — and how restorative justice expands when it embraces transformative justice, equity, and shared power.

This conversation is a masterclass in what it means to build justice together.

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If this episode moves you, please share it widely.
Grassroots led stories shift culture.

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Host: Founder & Executive Producer Molly Rowan Leach (she/her), and Post Production Credits to our Social Media and Marketing Manager Logan Ward (he/him), who is also an accomplished Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker (Remarkable, 2024)

About: https://restorativejusticeontherise.org

 

LIFER: One Man. One Dog. Transformed.

With Director Raul Perez & Brian Michael James. [Proof Video]

In this extraordinary episode of Restorative Justice on The Rise, Molly Rowan Leach sits down with Brian Michael James, who served 29 years and two months in prison beginning at age 16, and Raul Perez, director of the upcoming film LIFER.

Brian opens the conversation with stark clarity:

“Today is 1,154 days free after I served 29 years and two months from the ages of 16 to 45.”

What unfolds is not simply a story of incarceration — it is a story of belonging, trauma, accountability, radical forgiveness, and transformation.

Brian shares the childhood wounds that shaped his early path, the split-second decision that took a life, and the decades that followed. He describes the night that changed everything:

“That decision right there took me a total of three seconds to make… That man died that night.”

He speaks candidly about prison violence, addiction, solitary confinement, and the death of his beloved grandmother — the moment that forced him to choose whether to live or die:

“I decided that I’m going to live a life that would honor my grandmother… She planted good seeds in me. They just hadn’t sprouted yet.”

Years later, a poster on a prison wall changed the trajectory of his life: a dog rescue program.

After 25 years incarcerated, Brian knelt down and touched a dog for the first time:

“It was nothing less than a spiritual experience.”

The rescue dog, Flynn — who had been scheduled for euthanasia — became part of Brian’s healing. Through the program, he discovered purpose, responsibility, and connection:

“In the three months of this program, I discovered literally who I wanted to be and who I was as a man.”

In a powerful restorative arc, Brian also shares his participation in Healing Dialogue & Action (HDA), where he sat with mothers of murder victims. In one unforgettable moment, after asking how he could ever live with what he had done, one mother stood and said:

“How about we forgive you for that?”

Brian describes that experience as life-altering — a release that allowed him to move forward with accountability rather than self-annihilation.

When he finally appeared before the parole board decades later, he told them:

“Whether they let me home or not was not going to alter anything. This is who I am today.”

He was granted parole in 2022.

Today, Brian works to give back, speaking to incarcerated individuals and communities about hope, transformation, and responsibility:

“You are really, really needed in the world right now.”

Director Raul Perez shares why telling stories like this matters:

“We want to inspire change and hope… even if we change one person’s mind watching this… then we did our job.”

LIFER is more than a film about prison.
It is about radical forgiveness.
It is about the power of dogs to restore dignity.
It is about the possibility that no human being is beyond transformation.

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About Our Guests

Brian Michael James served 29 years in California state prison and now dedicates his life to restorative work, advocacy, and speaking about transformation and accountability.

Raul Perez is the director of LIFER, a film inspired by Brian’s journey and the life-changing impact of prison dog programs.

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If this episode moves you, please share it widely.
Stories like this shift culture.

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Host: Founder & Executive Producer Molly Rowan Leach (she/her), and Post Production Credits to our Social Media and Marketing Manager Logan Ward (he/him), who is also an accomplished Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker (Remarkable, 2024)

About: https://restorativejusticeontherise.org

 

In this episode: Mika Dashman, Founding Director of Restorative Justice Initiative, in its tenth anniversary year celebration whose mission is to build a community of New Yorkers who reflect the diversity of our city to expand healing and non-punitive responses to harm at the personal, neighborhood and systemic levels.

Arguably RJI's reach is MUCH beyond New York, with deep international ties creating essential connections between communities and trusted practitioners, and providing essential resources and programs that inspire, inform, and connect. Thus, the topic of this session: the unseen--and arguably under-rated, impacts of networks like RJI. What is their place in the field, and why is it critical to support networking organizations? We discuss this and much more, with host Molly Rowan Leach.

Who is RJI?

At the core of our vision for social change through restorative approaches is the centrality of relationships. RJI helps to lay the groundwork for a cultural shift from punishment and retribution to healing in New York City’s neighborhoods and systems by nurturing relationships among practitioners and advocates.  We also distribute resources to strengthen practice and promote ongoing learning, and facilitate strategic planning.

Although restorative justice is often placed in a “criminal justice reform” or “school climate” box, its philosophy—which is based on indigenous spiritual beliefs and practices—goes to the heart of how we live and work together in community, building trust and understanding. Restorative justice processes give voice to those directly impacted by harm, and encourage deep listening across differences; these restorative processes encourage storytelling that illustrates the complex, and sometimes contradictory realities of our lives.

Our Operating Principles: 

1. All life is interconnected.
2. We value and center relationships.
3. We value and center authentic self-reflection.
4. We treat all people as capable of healing and transformation.
5. We believe that harm occurs on both interpersonal and systemic levels and must be addressed on both.
6. We center and champion conditions that invite people to take accountability for harm.
7. We see restorative justice as part of a larger movement toward a healthier, safer city.

Who We Work With

RJI works with people interested in Restorative Justice across NYC’s 5 boroughs, including:

People living and/or working in NYC & NY metro region RJ Practitioners RJ Advocates Philanthropists Community organizers Community based organizations

NYC Government agencies Educators Lawyers Social Workers Healers Parents Youth

Faith Community & Clergy Families Survivors of violence Individuals who have caused harm Returning citizens School administrators and staff

Significant Achievements:

• In spring 2021, the NYC Commission on Human Rights tapped RJI to join an advisory group to guide the incorporation of restorative justice principles and practices into the Commission’s litigation, policy, and community-based work.
• RJI provided thought leadership to help develop a model of robust accountability for those that have caused or contributed to sexual harm that is both survivor-centered and based on powerful inclusivity, rather than based on “othering” and public shaming.
• Since 2018 we have partnered with The Center for Creative Conflict Resolution at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) to host a series of Citywide Roundtables on Restorative Approaches, where we convened diverse stakeholders to begin developing a vision for a restorative city.
• Trinity Church Wall Street has called on us more than once to help design and facilitate retreats and events related to restorative justice.
• In February 2023, we held the 5th Citywide Roundtable on Restorative Approaches, marking the first Citywide Roundtable held in-person since January 2020, and the first Citywide Roundtable held in Queens.
• In March 2023, we launched our Storytelling for Collective Healing program, which paired artists and storytellers to amplify reconciliation, transformation, and healing stories.
• We created the Practitioner Spotlight, a digital interview series that shines a light on novel approaches to restorative justice from across our network.
• In 2022, we established our inaugural Youth Advocacy Council that ran for the 2022-23 academic year. The Council designed personal community projects, including facilitating conversations on restorative justice at their previously attended middle schools, current high schools, and community bookstores, and preparing to facilitate community circles with their mentors.
• We curated and hosted a series of circles on the topic of grief and grieving, that allowed for participants to be seen as they move through the many challenges of the current moment.
• Also in 2023, we began hosting online gatherings for RJ Consultants and Independent Contractors, forming a community of practice to combat isolation and share resources and support.

HOSTED BY: Founder & Executive Producer Molly Rowan Leach (she/her), and Post Production Credits to our Social Media and Marketing Manager Logan Ward (he/him), who is also an accomplished Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker (Remarkable, 2024)

ABOUT MOLLY: https://restorativejusticeontherise.org/about-us/host-executive-producer/

Molly’s writing: https://medium.com/@mollyleach

ABOUT LOGAN: https://www.loganward.net/about

Logan’s portfolio: https://www.loganward.net/

 

As many restorative justice practitioners know who actively facilitate any form of circle or conference, or convening with a purpose, there often comes a moment when the sharp tenseness transmutes to....something unexpected, something that allows for a new understand, a new lens on oneself and the "other", a bridge of sorts where none previously existed...you know it, we know it, you've witnessed and so have we....but what is that? How does it happen? What are the conditions for transforming in the face of pain and suffering, with those who harmed us or those we've harmed?  And what are the basic needs we as humans have, across the world, that we can lift up especially during violent and unthinkable collapsing times?

About Shilpa

Shilpa's Substack (full of incredible posts on timely topics)

Shilpa Jain is currently rooting herself in Oakland/Berkeley, CA. For the last 11+ years, she served as the Executive Director of YES!. YES! works with social changemakers at the meeting point of internal, interpersonal and systemic change, and aims to co-create a thriving, just and balanced world for all. Prior to this role, Shilpa spent two years as the Education and Outreach Coordinator of Other Worlds and ten years as a learning activist with Shikshantar: The Peoples’ Institute for Rethinking Education and Development, based in Udaipur, India, where she served as coordinator of the Swapathgami (Walkouts-Walkons) Network.

Shilpa has researched and written numerous books and articles, and facilitated workshops and gatherings on topics including globalization, creative expressions, ecology, democratic living, innovative learning and unlearning. Her publications include A Poet's Challenge to Schooling, Reclaiming the Gift Culture, Other Worlds of Power, Paths of Unlearning, Unfolding Learning Societies volumes one, two and three, and several issues of Vimukt Shiksha (“Liberating Learning”) and the Swapathgami newsletter “Making Our Paths of Living and Learning”. She is also co-author of “Connect. Inspire. Collaborate”, a highly sought-after facilitation manual.

Shilpa has facilitated dozens of transformative leadership gatherings in India, Jordan, Senegal, Lebanon, Egypt, Thailand, Canada, Peru, and the US, working with hundreds of young leaders from over 50 countries. She was founding coordinator of the Global Youth Leadership Collaborative, a network of 15 Jam facilitators from 14 countries that has collectively produced dozens of international gatherings for young changemakers, and distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to small-scale grassroots social change innovations worldwide.

Shilpa made the decision to leave the trappings of academia, Washington, DC, and the path of “professionalism” to live and work in greater alignment with her soul's calling. Today, she sees her work as contributing to the deep healing of internal, interpersonal and systemic breakdown. Shilpa is committed to using very simple human technologies to uncover ways for people to free themselves from dominating, soul-crushing institutions and to live in greater alignment with their hearts and deepest values, their local communities, and with nature.

ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON THE RISE

The world's first restorative justice podcast and public lives platform, since 2011, reaching and connecting 6 continents and tens of thousands of listeners and practitioners per episode.

In this episode, we hear from the founder of The Circle Keepers, Martin Urbach, and three youth keepers, centering their voices and ideas about restorative practices, how to build unity across divides, and more.

RJOTR believes strongly in this program and was deeply honored to host this very special episode that you won't want to miss. Listen in now to hear how youth -- directly from their voices and lived experiences -- are advocating and practicing on-the-ground!

Who are The Circle Keepers?

The Circle Keepers started in 2017 as a volunteer-run after school program for high school students to learn restorative justice practices such as peer mediation protocols, conflict resolution circles and community building activities as well as to hone their leadership skills, engage in political education, civic participation and produce community service/social justice projects and thus, create change in their school and in their neighborhoods.?

Significant Achievements:

• 100% of student participants surveyed report that The Circle Keepers program made their school experience more meaningful

• Started youth-led restorative justice cohorts in 8 different public schools, across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Bronx.

• Helped reduce suspensions by 95% at one Manhattan borough school in District 2 in the span of 4 years (2019-2023)

• Testified for City Council to successfully restore over $32M of funding cuts towards restorative justice justice programming in NYC Public Schools from 2022-2024.

• Developed a comprehensive Restorative Justice Curriculum for grades 6-8 and grades 9-12, currently offered as semester long electives in a D2 and a D15 school.

• Trained over 1000 students as restorative justice peer mediators,

  Trained over 100 NYC Public School staff in school based restorative justice practices.

  Traveled to Austin, TX to present a sold-out workshop at the SXSWedu 2023 conference of over 100 guests.

• Traveled to Washington, DC to meet with Leader Charles Schumer to learn about federal policy and  explored the National Museum of African American History and Culture to develop a stronger sense of Black epistemologies and ontologies.

• Produced a “Green New Deal for Public Schools” roundtable with Congressman Jamaal Bowman at Sarah Lawrence College.

• Produced youth led conference for 250+ NYC youth, rooted on the theme of “peace and justice”, bringing together 50+ stakeholders, including youth development organizations, city agencies, elected officials and even private businesses donating food and supplies!?

HOSTED BY: Founder & Executive Producer Molly Rowan Leach (she/her), and Social Media and Marketing Manager Logan Ward (he/him), who is also an accomplished Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker (Remarkable, 2024)

ABOUT MOLLY: https://restorativejusticeontherise.org/about-us/host-executive-producer/

Molly’s writing: https://medium.com/@mollyleach

 

ABOUT LOGAN: https://www.loganward.net/about

Logan’s portfolio: https://www.loganward.net/

ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON THE RISE

The world's first restorative justice podcast and public lives platform, since 2011, reaching and connecting 6 continents and tens of thousands of listeners and practitioners per episode.

 

This webinar was recorded on May 9th, 2025.

In this episode, social anthropologist and experienced mediator Deborah Heifetz will explore her groundbreaking Map to Compassion — a non-hierarchical framework recently published in MIT’s Journal of Awareness-Based Systems Change. She will guide us in understanding how we can sustain curiosity in environments dominated by fear and distrust. Drawing on over 30 years of global peacebuilding experience and somatic education, Heifetz illuminates how our developmental needs, culture, and tribal affiliations shape our emotional responses. Her emphasis on fairness over punitive justice aligns with Restorative Justice principles, inviting inquiry through the question: “What can be done to feel fairly treated?” This focus on fairness elicits deeper, more feelingful inquiries and reveals choices that support repair with the intent on rebuilding relationships and communities. Over many years, Heifetz has worked at the nexus of inner and outer peace. In this webinar, she will offer compassionate approaches to conflict resolution, providing practical tools for balancing emotionally charged needs during challenging times.

 

ABOUT DEBORAH:

Deborah Heifetz (she/her) is a social anthropologist, mediator, and professional facilitator with over 30 years of experience in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and somatic education. She developed the systems-based model – the Human Needs Map, a circular matrix representing the interconnections between human needs at different levels of scale and reflecting the synergies and tensions between needs. Her model has been considered a breakthrough framework by founders of Human Needs Theory for its non-hierarchical approach to human needs and for the way human needs and emotions are tied to human development. A co-founder of BraveHearts International, she has worked globally in mediation, sustainability, and leadership training, integrating movement-based and somatic practices like Laban Movement Analysis and Somatic Experiencing with her knowledge and sensitivity for culture and community building. A Chevening Scholar, she recently published The Map to Compassion in MIT’s Journal for Awareness-Based Systems Change.  Heifetz works at the nexus of inner and outer peace.

Website: https://heifetzmatrix.com/

HOSTED BY: Founder & Executive Producer Molly Rowan Leach (she/her), and Social Media and Marketing Manager Logan Ward (he/him).

 

ABOUT MOLLY: https://restorativejusticeontherise.org/about-us/host-executive-producer/

Molly’s writing: https://medium.com/@mollyleach

 

ABOUT LOGAN: https://www.loganward.net/about

Logan’s portfolio: https://www.loganward.net/

ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON THE RISE

The world's first restorative justice podcast and public lives platform, since 2011, reaching and connecting 6 continents and tens of thousands of listeners and practitioners per episode.